Nail clipper attachment to receive the cut clippings



June 15, 1965 P. .1. CHASE 3,138,737

NAIL CLIPPER ATTACHMENT TO RECEIVE THE CUT CLIPPINGS Filed Feb. 26, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. PERRY J. CHASE P. J. CHASE June 15, 1965 NAIL CLIPPER ATTACHMENT TO RECEIVE THE CUT CLIPPINGS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 26, 1964 30 I4 32 BI 29 3O Em SME mm mm TC m m VJR m ML W YN BmM A M 3 O l F.

United States Patent Ofitice 3,188,737, Patented June 15, 1965 3,188,737 NAIL CLIPPER ATTACHMENT 1'0 RECEIVE THE CUT (ILWPINGS Perry J. Chase, Columbus, Ohio (1815 Blake Blvd. 515., Cedar Rapids, Iowa) Filed Feb. 26, 1964, Ser. No. 347,557 1 Claim. (Cl. 30-124) This invention relates, in general, to nail clippers designed for manicuring. It relates, more specifically, to a novel nail clipping retainer or receptacle attachment for utilization with the pincers type nail clippers having a pair of opposed, relatively movable spring arms.

Nail clippers of this type are provided with opposed cutting edges formed at the ends of each spring arm and are operated by pressing the arms together between the fingers. The nail clippings thus cut off are usually forcefully propelled from between the spring arms and away from the cutting edges as a result of the pinching method of operation. This results in the loss of the nail clippings which are then undesirably scattered in a relatively wide area on the floor, rugs, and on a persons clothing. In attempting to eliminate this problem, nail clippers of this type have been structurally modified to incorporate nail clipping retainers or receptacles. Such prior art devices as have been devised have not been found to be completely satisfactory in that the manufacturing costs are undesirably increased where the clipper structure is modified. Further, the prior art devices were not effective in capturing the nail clippings which were ejected laterally from the clipper. Also, the structural modifications that were made often increased the size of the clipper thereby detracting from the compactness.

It is therefore, the primary object of this invention to provide a nail clipping receptacle which is attachable to a nail clipper for collecting and retaining the nail clipp 1% is another object of this invention to provide a nail clipping receptacle attachment for nail clippers of the spring arm type which receptacle is of wedge-shape for positioning between the arms.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a nail clipping receptacle attachment for nail clippers of the spring arm type which is formed from a flexible, resillent material to facilitate positioning the opening thereof closely adjacent to the nail cutting edges to prevent the escape of nail clippings.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a nail clipping receptacle for nail clippers of the spring arm type and which is of simple construction and may be economically fabricated and readily attached to nail clippers of the present construction.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent from the following detailed description of an embodiment thereof and the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a spring arm type nail clipper for manicuring having a nail clipping receptacle embodying this invention attached thereto.

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the nail clipping receptacle.

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view, on an enlarged scale, of

the nail clipper of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along line 44 of FIG. 3 but with the cutting edges in engagement.

FIGURE 5 is a transverse sectional view taken along line 55 of FIG. 4.

FIGURE 6 is an end view of the nail clipping receptacle as normally expanded.

Having reference to the drawings illustrating a nail clipper designed for manicuring purposes and the nail clipping receptacle of this invention, the numeral 10 designates, in general, the nail clipper. This nail clipper 10 is of the usual form and construction, having a pair of elongated spring arms or jaw members 11 and 12 which are Welded or otherwise rigidly secured together at one end. The spring arms 11 and 12 are relatively divergent with the ends opposite their riveted juncture being normally spaced apart although they may be pressed together in opposition to their inherent resilient force. Formed at the free end of each arm, 11 and 12, and extending transversely thereto, is an inturned lip or flange, 13 and 14, with the opposed edges thereof being provided with cooperatively engageable cutting edges. Preferably, the flanges 13 and 14 and their associated cutting edges are arcuately curved to facilitate cutting of the curved nail edge.

Actuation of the spring arms 11 and 12 to perform a cutting operation is by means of a cam lever 15 pivoted at one end to a pin 16. The pin 16 extends through aligned openings formed in the arms 11 and 12 adjacent the flanged ends and in which it is rotatably mounted. An enlarged head 17 is formed on the end of the pin 16 opposite the end to which the lever 15 is attached and which, in cooperation with the lever, retains the pin in position. Formed in the pin 16 adjacent the end opposite the head 17 is a hook 18 for pivotally engaging the loop 19 formed in the end of the lever 15. A fulcrum 20, consisting of a barb struck out from the body of the lever 15 adjacent the loop 19, is also provided to further facilitate the operation of the clipper.

The clipper 19 is assembled to normally space apart the cutting edges of the flanges 13 and 14 a distance substantially greater than the thickness of the finger nails with the resiliency of the arms 11 and 12 maintaining the open spacing. For utilization, the lever 15 will be positioned as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 4 and the lever pivoted toward the arms. This pivoting movement will cause the cutting edges to close, as indicated in FIG. 4, and clip the nail. The portion of the nail thus removed, the nail clipping, is advantageously received and retained by the novel nail clipping receptacle, designated generally by the numeral 25, provided by this invention.

The nail clipping receptacle 25 is of a general overall shape similar to the general form of the clipper 10 and is disposed between the arms 11 and 12. It is of hollow form with a closed transverse cross section and is provided with an open end which is positioned adjacent the flanges 13 and 14 for receiving the nail clippings as they are removed and to permit discharge of an accumulation of nail clippings, at the conclusion of the manicure, into a suitable disposal container.

Being disposed between the spring arms 11 and 12, the receptacle 25 is wedge shaped, having opposed side walls 26 extending substantially along the longitudinal edges of the arms and opposed top and bottom walls 27 which interconnect with the side walls. Since the spring arms 11 and 12 are divergent, each side wall 26 is triangularly shaped with the base thereof disposed adjacent the flanges 13 and 14 of the spring arms and their respective cutting edges. The top and bottom walls 27 accordingly converge from the open month end of the receptacle toward the opposed end thereof where they are joined as at 28. The edges 29 of the top and bottom walls 27 forming the receptacle opening are preferably curved with the width of such walls adjacent the cutting edge flanges being slightly greater than the width of the spring arms 11 and 12 in this area, as best shown in FIGS. 3 and 6, to form a forwardly projecting lip 30 with the marginal ends of the side walls 26. The lips 31) extend forwardly to fabricated froma resilient, flexible material to permit closing of the cutting-edges through the normal flexing V of the spring arms 11 and 12. The materialutilized may be any of the well-known thermo-setting synthetic resins having the desired characteristics of flexibility-and resilience. With the actuating lever 15,placed intheoperating position and the springarrns 7 ally open, the receptacle 25 will have .a cross-sectional shape substantially as shown in FIG. 6 due to the curva-p ture of thetop and bottom walls-27. Subsequent closing of the cutting edges will compress th e walls 27 together and the cross-sectional shape will be distorted as is best shown in FIG. 5. The walls 27 'will thus becomesubstantially parallel and," as' a result, the side walls 26 will be further separated. Forming the walls 27 with a curvature in this manner ,permitsthe receptacle to have a relatively large opening when the clipper is in a nor;

Hand 12 flexed norm- 7 stantiallywithin the usual nail clipper constructions and thereby avoids the addition of any undesirable bulk to the clipper. It is a compact unit that may be readily attached to the present commercially available'clippers and which may be economically manufactured.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes,-the principles'of this invention have been'explained and have been illustrated and described in'what is now considered to'represent the best embodiment. However, it is to be understood that, withinthe scope. of the. appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described. v r 2 Having .thus described this invention," what is claimed '1 In combination a-nail clipper having a pair of elongated-arms secured together at one of their ends and with their other ends normally resiliently he ldapart I so that the arms are normallyin divergingrelationship, a

aeam lever carried by a pin extending between the diverging ends of said arms for moving the diverging ends relatively toward each other, said arrns having at their diverging ends transversely extending'but inwardly curved cutting flanges directed toward eachjother which are normallyspaced apart but which are movable into c0- mally. open configuration thereby facilitating entry of V the fingernail and readily accommodates resulting firom closing the cutting edges. The flexure of the opposed walls 27 inwardly of the receptacle results in further bending along the juncture of these walls with the walls 2Q where it will not adversely afiectthe structure'of the receptacle. 5 a r Maintenance of the receptacle 25 in the desired relationship to the nail 'clipper 10 is accomplished by means "of engagement of the receptacle with'the pin Miami the the distortion edges 29 engaging the inner surfaces'of the flanges 11 v and 12. Formed in the marginal edge portion of each wall 27 is a key-slot which'is engageable with the pin 16. Each key-slot includes a circular portion 31 spaced -a distance inwardly of the edge 29 anda slot 32 opening from the circular portion to the edge. "The circular portion 31 is of adiameter slightly greater than the pin 16 whilethe width of the slot 32 is substantially less. Thus;

the pin 16 may rotate within'the circular portion 31% the edge 29 in relationship to the spacing of thepin 16' relative to the flanges 11 and 12, it will be seen; that the receptacle 25 will not be able to rotate about the piniand 'will always be maintained in the proper position for receiving the nail clippings; The edges 29 of the wa11s27 will engage the inwardly facing surfaces of the flanges 11 and12 and thereby prevent the undesirable pivoting of the receptacle. V

Removal of the nail clippings accumulated within the receptacle 25 is a relatively simple operation. 'The nail clipper is merely held over a suitable waste container with the open end of the receptacle directed downwardly and shaken to dislodge the'elippings; f i 1 It will be readily apparent that a nail clipper provided with a nail clipping receptacle of this invention is 'of particular advantage in that all of the nail clippings will be received therein; .The receptacle is contained sub- 7 bperation when said diverging ends are moved toward eachother, a nail clipping receptacle of "generally wdegeshaped hollow jform positioned between; said arms and being or closed transverse cross section with a pair of divergent opposed top and bottom walls adjacent the arms" and a pair of opposed side walls'joining the top and bottom' walls, 'said receptacle'having a closed, tapered bottom end "where all of said walls nieet and an open ir'n'ou'th 'end adjacent the diverging ends of the armsand the cutting flanges thereon, s'aidreceptacle being formed 'from a resilient material to permit flexing of the side walls as the arms are moved relatively toward and away fromeach other, eachof saidtop and bottom walls being normally bowed outwardly'ina transverse direction so as to frictionally engage vthe adjacent arm and. having an outer edge which is'curved' inwardly and located inwardly of thecorresponding inwardly curved cutting flange, each of said opposed -top and'b'ott'oin 'walls having an aperture formed therein to receive" saidfpin with the apertures in the opposed walls being in alignment and each being of lceyhole form with an inner circular portion of greater 7 diameter than said pin spaced from said outer edge and is necessary when pivoting the'lever 15 and pin 16 be anouter communicating slot portion extending-to said edge and being of less width'than thefldiameter'of said 'pin, said side walls having at said mouth end of the receptacle lips which extend outwardly beyond said curved edges of the opposed top and bottom wallsandsaid curved cutting fflanges to. prevent the nail clippings from being :propelled out of the' mouth end of said receptacle as they are produced by cooperation of 'said cutting flanges. V

I References Cited' by the Examiner 5 AUNITED 'sr rns parsing; s

,.2,515,s52 47/50 Bilsky 2230-28 2,799,923 7/57 Senshu 3o 2s 2,837,821 6/58 David 3p.-2sx

.. 2,ss7,773;-. "5/59, Killen :30-'-2s 2,970,376 2/61 Kuo 30-928 -3,'013 ,33,43 12/61 ,Bassett use-2s 3,031,754; 5/62 ,Pocoski 3c,-2s

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